Montecara
Montecara is a British overseas territory in southeastern South America. It lies between Argentina and Uruguay at the mouth of the Uruguay River. It is a city-state, home to 1.7 million people in an area of 256 square kilometers—the smallest and most densely populated territory in South America. Montecara is notable for its liberal social policies. Same-sex marriage is legal, health care and education are free and universal, and the country's all-geothermal power industry is government-owned. History The land which would come to be Montecara was first settled by the Charrua, a small tribe which had been driven south from their original homeland by the Guaraní. The first Europeans to arrive on the site was a party of emigrants from Genoa who established a settlement at the southwestern tip of present-day Jamestown. They established their own city-state by allying with local Indians and trading with neighboring Spanish settlements. Montecara was able to maintain its separate identity from the rest of Spanish America thanks to its ties to the powerful Genoese republic and to the strength of the fort on Isola di Cara, which guarded the estuary on which the town was established. Control of the settlement was given to the United Kingdom at the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The British have administered the colony ever since. Politics Politics in Montecara takes place in the framework of a democratic parliamentary system. Suffrage is universal and compulsory beginning at age 16. Montecara has almost complete self-government in internal matters, and external affairs are handled by the United Kingdom. Executive The executive power of Montecara is vested in the Monarch of the Unted Kingdom, currently Queen Elizabeth II. Her functions are exercised by the Governor of Montecara, a British-appointed administrator who usually comes from the UK civil service. Parliament The Parliament of Montecara is a unicameral body composed of 61 members elected from a combination of single-member districts and party lists based on proportional representation. The Premier is elected by a majority vote of Parliament from among its members. Parliament meets in its building on Parliament Square in Westminster. Judiciary The judicial system is based on English common law. The Supreme Court of Montecara is the highest court of appeal in the territory and can rule on the constitutionality of laws. Laws that are found unconstitutional are invalidated. The Supreme Court consists of five judges nominated by the Premier and confirmed by majority vote of Parliament. They are entitled to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70, after which they may retain senior status but are no longer active members of the court. The Supreme Court sits at its building on Parliament Square in Westminster. The ultimate court of appeal is the Privy Council of the United Kingdom in London. Military Defense is the responsibility of the United Kingdom. British Forces Montecara is stationed in the territory, and consists of the Royal Montecara Regiment, the Montecara Squadron, RAF Montecara, and the Royal Montecara Police. Geography Montecara shares borders with Argentina and Uruguay. The territory sits at the mouth of the Uruguay River, locally called the River Bevera. It is largely an estuary, and contains several small islands as well as the large New Rhodes island. The climate is warm, with few extremes and no sub-freezing temperatures. Economy Natural resources include geothermal power, arable land, and fresh water. Transport Montecara maintains a modern system of transport, encompassing a network of roads, mass transit, airports and seaports, freight rail, and ferries. All roads in Montecara are paved. There are often tolls between population centers, with proceeds collected by the government. The Montecarian government has set a goal of moving away from car-based transportation and reducing automobile mode share to at most third place, behind walking and public transit. This effort has been successful in several major areas within the city-state. The Montecara Numbered Route System, a network of mostly dual-carriageway roads that connects to Uruguay and Argentina and goes through most dense areas within the country, serves as the trunk route. There are no motorways. The mass-transit system densely covers all built-up areas in the country, and includes a heavy-rail network, Metro, buses, and trams. There are three international airports in Montecara. Montecara is home to several large seaport facilities, including major ones at Georgetown and Freeport. Demographics Religion The religious makeup of Montecara reflects its history as a British colony, and is also notable for being the most secular of any country in the Americas. A plurality—45%—of Montecarians are affiliated with the Anglican Church of the Southern Cone of America. The country is coterminous with the Anglican Diocese of Montecara. About 38% are either atheists or agnostics, which with Uruguay's figure of 17.2% and Argentina's figure of 11.3% makes the Southern Cone one of the world's most secular regions. Descendants of the country's Genoese inhabitants and immigrants from neighboring countries and their offspring account for most of the 9.7% of Montecarians who are Catholic. Other Christians include various Protestant groups along with small Orthodox communities. The remaining 1.2% of Montecarians follow diverse religions, with small numbers of Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Baha'i, and Jews. Culture The culture of Montecara is similar to that of the United Kingdom, with influences from its Italian past and from neighboring Uruguay and Argentina. Education Education in Montecara is paid for by the local and British governments. The language of instruction is English, though nearly all students study Spanish as a foreign language. There is no single-sex education in Montecara. There are several universities in Montecara. Jamestown University, founded in 1820, was the first in Montecara and is the oldest English-langage university in South America. Montecara also has a city college system, the City College of Montecara.